


Delayed Love

by AnnaStorm



Category: Left 4 Dead (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Comfort/Angst, Developing Relationship, Drama, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Family, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friendship/Love, Gay, Gore, Humor, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Injury, Jealousy, Love, M/M, Mental Instability, Original Character(s), Other, Plot, Post-Apocalypse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Sad, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Smut, Survival, Trauma, Zombies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 23:45:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20479457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaStorm/pseuds/AnnaStorm
Summary: Sometimes people only learn to love when they almost lose it all. The infection is changing and CEDA is trying to find a cure in the most inhumane ways possible. People are becoming desperate and times are changing. Human or not, slowly one by one each thing is becoming more of a threat.This story has different themes; shipping canon/canon characters, infected changing and humanizing, and a minor added oc of mine in the background for shits and giggles.*Still Editing* (7/11/2020)





	Delayed Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based on the campaign, Swamp Fever after the plane crash. They are lost in the woods, trying to reach the mansion. On top of that, I decided to include the first game characters, as well, and it will be revealed why later on. Please feel free to state your opinion about the story down below. Thank you!

The trees swayed back and forth, the gray skies forming above the group as they ventured on. The surrounding forest seemed so murky and endless. Ultimately, everyone stopped to rest. They were exhausted, but each person knew they would be on the move again. Standing in one place for too long wasn’t safe, and in the forest, it was doubly dangerous. The city was virtually demolished; CEDA bombed the whole capital in one fatal strike. They didn’t heed the survivor’s cries or perhaps didn’t care anymore. Help seemed so close, but the planes would fly further and further away, just out of their reach. The group held on so tightly to that last sliver of hope, yet that hope began to wane each day. Nick stared off into the woodland, a medley of wild noises entering his ears, such as birds and various insects buzzing in the surrounding air. He wasn’t concentrated on that, though. More the sounds of the Infected, Zombies, or whatever people preferred to call them nowadays. Nick clung onto his M-16 rifle, leaning against a tall oak tree as he emitted a weary sigh. He had volunteered to take the first watch; he wasn’t tired, although the dark circles around his eyes raised some doubts.  
“Hey Nick, needin‘ any help?” a familiar man with a southern accent approached Nick with his usual happy-go-lucky smile. Nick swung his head up, startled by the man’s appearance before sighing in relief. “Kid-,” Nick grumbled, glancing over at Ellis with a glare of irritation he often displayed. He didn’t expect Ellis to be up; everyone else was sound asleep. “Just thought you needed some help, you look exhausted, man,” Ellis piped up, bearing his own rifle in hand. “Yeah, no. I’m good,” Nick exhaled. This kid never stopped talking! Hell, it wasn’t even the fact he talked too much. It was mainly because he talked about shit that hardly mattered. “Ya sure? I mean- I can take watch. It be easy,” Ellis assured, oblivious that Nick wasn’t at all amused to see him. “I’d prefer not to die in my sleep, so no thank you,” Nick snorted, a particularly mocking one at that. “Alright, but Imma stay and help. In case some zombie man tries grabbin' you. You know, like em back-humpers?” Ellis recalled, chattering on. “Man, I hate them, li’l bastards gettin‘ on you and all. Shoot man, remember that last time, you and me? Damn thing wouldn’t get off-"  
“Is now the best time?” Nick snapped before noticing Ellis averting his gaze. He was well acquainted with hearing Nick’s bitter remarks. Yet, Ellis tended to forget Nick disliked his stories or frankly disliked talking to him in general. Nothing pleased the man, and Ellis desperately desired to. Since they first crossed paths at the hotel, Ellis admired him. Nick always knew what he was doing, hella good at shooting too. Ellis made an effort to befriend the man, but he got shut down the minute he tried. Nick didn’t genuinely seem to care, and that burned his core. Ellis only wished Nick would recognize he was just as capable as he was. “Ya... ya... Alright,” he murmured. Nick closed his eyes, his hand over his temples in defeat. He knew the kid wasn’t bad. Nick was well aware Ellis was just trying to make light of the dark circumstances. He wouldn’t admit it, but occasionally he enjoyed his stories. The world was going to hell. But right now, it wasn’t the time for that. Nick wasn’t in the mood to listen to his babbling. He had one task. Stand watch, and that was what he intended to do. Quietly. Yet seeing Ellis pout, he grumbled. He didn’t know if Ellis was attempting to make him feel bad or not, but he hated seeing Ellis's resulting disappointment. “I’m sorry, okay?” Nick uttered, lowering his gun. “Go on.”  
“Aw, man-,” Ellis beamed, his face lighting up as he proceeded. Why did he say that? Now, Ellis wouldn’t stop. Immediately, Nick began regretting his statement. “We were going through that town. Damn bastard got on me, slammin’ me against the car. Hell, that shit hurt too. I thought I broke somethin’,” Ellis continued. “But you shot that darn thing right off me, didn’t even miss once. Man, I appreciated that.”   
Nick listened to the male chatter on, brushing his words aside. Initially, he was irritated, why the hell did he say ‘go on’? There goes one of the biggest regrets he had ever said. However, Ellis’s final remark caught him by surprise. This wasn’t just some story; it was a compliment. Nick recalled the events, it was so long ago. He didn’t remember much of it, other than killing something or another. Ever since the plane crashed into a swamp, they had been walking for what felt like days. Nick had forgotten everything in between. What was important was to find a radio, anything to contact the living to escape this hillbilly hell. “Uh... thanks. I guess,” Nick uttered. He scratched the back of his neck out of sheer nervousness. Was he supposed to compliment him next? Ellis looked off to the side just as Nick was about to respond, Ellis raised his rifle and fired away. The sound of the gun echoing throughout the forest. Nick drew back, startled as he peered over in Ellis’s direction. A fucking smoker and there was more where that came from. “Shit!” Nick growled, the men retreating back to camp.“Get up! We got company," Nick hollered as he swiveled around, guarding the surrounding area. The group was composed of seven people, including Ellis, Rochelle, Coach, Francis, Zoey, Louis, and of course him. Nick. The survivors rose, the gunshot waking them almost immediately. They sprang to their feet, their guns loaded and ready to shoot. Once the smoker was shot down, the infected followed the noise, locating the group in the distance. The undead hurried towards them as they fired bullets, the survivors darting out of the forest. “Where the fuck do we go?!" Nick shouted, peering behind him shooting the targets before pushing forward. “This way! The mansion should be this way!” Zoey responded, running close behind him. “Should be, doesn’t sound very fucking convincing," Nick snapped bitterly. Zoey was on the verge of snapping back, but Rochelle pointed out something, the team glimpsing over in her direction. “A bridge, we can get through that way!" Rochelle declared, going ahead. “I don’t know Ro- That bridge don’t look too stable." Ellis frowned, inspecting it from afar. Nick rolled his eyes as he scurried over to the narrow wooden bridge, water flowing through the split area of land. “It’s worth a fucking try! Go, go, go!" Each survivor ran their way through, one after another. Nick settled on the other side, firing the infected that followed behind.  
“Nick! Charger!” Ellis exclaimed, the group shooting at the charging enemy. Nick retreated onto the bridge, nearly tripping, but managing to stabilize himself. The now-dead charger fell to his doom as Nick watched the body drift away. “Haha! That’s what I am talking about!" Nick cheered, glancing over at Ellis. “Thanks, kid,” he grinned, stepping forward. “Hell yeah!” Francis laughed, a few survivors having their own mini celebration behind him. The horde was falling like pins on the other side of the bridge. But soon Nick stopped dead in his tracks, the snap of the rope slinging him to the side as the rickety bridge quickly turned over. He struggled to regain his balance as his body hurled downward. Nick hardly managed to clasp on the single piece of rope left, his legs dangling down to the river and sharp rocks beneath him. The sound of celebration instantly died down as Ellis ran over, extending his hand out. “Hold the rope!” Coach and Francis dropped their weapons to hold on to the last standing rope that held the man up. Nick peered over, seeing Ellis’s free hand. All he had to do was jump for it.  
‘Don’t look down. Don’t look down.’ Nick repeated to himself, time-freezing for the few brief seconds he had left. His breath began to shake as he grasped on to the rope. Coach and Francis were clinging to it as tightly as they could, but the infected still lingered around, the others attempting to kill them off. Was this it? “Nick! You gotta jump. I’ll catch ya alright?!” Ellis shouted, pleading for the man to jump, his hand still wide open. Nick’s heart pounded out of his chest. He felt as if he only had one choice. He wasn’t getting out of this, but at least he’d die trying. Nick closed his eyes, struggling to push his doubts away. He couldn’t give up now, with that he gathered all the strength he had left and made a jump for it. Nick held his breath as he tossed himself to Ellis, the male grabbing his hand, and then using his other to grab Nick’s arm. Nick gasped out, wide-eyed. He wasn’t dying today and that sense of relief caused him to smile. “I got ya bud- I got ya!” Ellis grinned just as relieved as he pulled the man up. But then, an abrupt shriek filled the air, pouncing Francis and knocking Ellis and Nick straight to their end. Nick tried to reach for the rope that dangled in the open air, but it was far too late. Both men plunged into the water, Nick bashing his head against a rock blacking out from the heavy impact.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to share your opinions and comments below, thank you! I will post as often as I can. I am known to get distracted.
> 
> I understand I may have some grammar mistakes throughout my story. Again, I am far from perfect, everyday I am learning new things in the English language which is why I have gone back and edited much of this work. If it bothers you so, I do not mind friendly criticism. Thank you! <3


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